Claire Keegan's Foster: Simplicity and Impact

Claire Keegan’s Foster is a deceptively simple novel—seemingly sparse on the surface but brimming with deep, unspoken emotions that gradually come to light. The story is narrated by a pre-teen girl, and her voice infuses the writing with a reflective innocence. Keegan’s nuanced choice to have the foster mother referred to simply as “the woman” adds layers to the narrative, subtly emphasizing the child’s perspective and her evolving sense of connection.

Though Foster is a short story, it captures profound insights, illustrating how emotions can erupt through the smallest gestures or words. The story follows the young girl as she moves from her neglectful, loveless family—where her father is distant and her mother preoccupied with a new pregnancy—to a foster home that radiates warmth and care. The contrast between these two worlds, and the girl’s gradual realization of what true love and attention feel like, is what makes this story so compelling. Keegan’s effortless style allows the emotions to speak louder than any overt drama, creating a narrative that resonates long after the final page.

‘Everything changes into something else, turns into some version of what it was before.’

There are so many brilliant lines in Foster that I can’t stop thinking about them. Claire Keegan has an incredible way with words, crafting prose that is both succinct and profoundly impactful. Every sentence feels meticulously chosen, conveying deep emotion and meaning with remarkable brevity.

Some more beautiful quotes, because why not….

‘I have learned enough, grown enough, to know that what happened is not something I need ever mention.’

‘As soon as he takes it, I realise my father has never once held my hand, and some part of me wants Kinsella to let me go so I won’t have to feel this. It’s a hard feeling but as we walk along I begin to settle and let the difference between my life at home and the one I have here be.’

‘Daddy,’ I warn him, I call him. ‘Daddy.’ (This line hits differently)